Salmonella contamination in food is responsible for 1.2 million foodborne illnesses each year, sending an estimated 23,000 people to the hospital and causing hundreds of deaths, according to the CDC. This infection is often associated with poultry and eggs, but contamination can turn up in a variety of foods, including fruit, vegetables, beef, pork, and seafood. Symptoms typically include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.

The recall follows an E. colioutbreak linked to romaine lettuce that sickened at least 197 people in 35 U.S. states. That outbreak has led to 89 hospitalizations and five deaths to date.

Last month, the CDC gave the all-clear to eat romaine, but cases of illness and death were still being reported as of June 1. According to the FDA, the tainted romaine lettuce was from Yuma, Arizona, and last harvested in mid-April. The culprit in the recalled romaine was the Shigatoxin–producingE. coli(STEC) strain of bacteria.

E. coli can affect not only fruits and veggies that are eaten raw, but also soft cheeses made from raw milk, water, and undercooked ground beef, according to FoodSafety.gov, a clearinghouse for food safety information compiled by the FDA, the CDC, and other government agencies.

Practicing good hygiene by sanitizing kitchen counter tops, cutting boards, and refrigerator space, as well as washing hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food, can reduce your risk of becoming ill from E. coli infection.

"Consumers need to know about the risks, but they also need to know we have the safest food supply in the world," says Joan Salge Blake, RDN, a clinical associate professor at Boston University.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, some of the most common culprits of foodborne illness in general include raw fruits and vegetables that are washed or irrigated with contaminated water, or those that aren't washed thoroughly before being eaten. While the FDA regulates those foods, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates animal products — such as eggs, cheese, and raw meat — that can carry other other foodborne illnesses.

Salmonella and E. coli are among the most common foodborne diseases that cause illness and death, along with norovirus, campylobacter, and listeria, according to FoodSafety.gov.

Protecting yourself and your family from contaminated-food diseases is particularly important if pregnant women, young children, adults older than 65, or people with a compromised immune system live in your home.

These facts may be alarming for some people to hear, but don't panic about every food you eat: The food system in the U.S. is relatively safe, thanks to the Food Safety Initiative, which began in 1997, Blake points out. “This program coordinates the research, inspection, outbreak response, and educational activities of the various government agencies to safeguard our foods,” she says. And it helps alert the public if an outbreak arises, reducing the number of people who get sick.

Still, because it’s impossible to keep track of every alert that dances across your phone or desktop, your best bet is to stay on top of expiration dates and learn how to prepare and store food safely. To do so, you can take the following steps every time you cook:

Keep separate cutting boards for produce and meat

Keep dairy-based foods at the proper temperature

Regularly wash kitchen sponges in the dishwasher

Along with these smart practices, watch out for the following top contaminated-food culprits.

Antibiotic-Laced Meat, Including Ground Turkey

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The Environmental Working Group looked at data from a 2014 FDA analysis that discovered serious examples of antibiotic resistance in meat sold in this country. Both E. coli and salmonella were found to be resistant to nearly all of the antibiotics that were tested. As for enterococci, a common family of bacteria, studies have found that 81 percent (or more) of the samples detected in ground turkey were resistant to antibiotics, such as tetracyclines, in clinical settings. What's worse, enterococci can be spread in a hospital setting through surfaces or objects that are touched by someone who is infected.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when animals are treated with antibiotics to prevent disease and also to help them grow. Antibiotic resistance is dangerous because it means doctors have fewer treatment options for patients when they get ill.

Cantaloupe Tainted With Listeria and Salmonella

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The FDA issued a warning that 23 states have reported cases of salmonella in an outbreak linked to pre-cut melon, as of June 14, 2018. According to the CDC, at least 60 people became ill between April 30 and May 28. Fruit salads containing cut cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon were recalled on June 8.

A major listeria outbreak in cantaloupe in 2011 caused 33 deaths and 143 hospitalizations across 28 states. Listeria is particularly dangerous because it lives in soil, infecting the inside of cantaloupe as well as the outside. Additionally, it thrives in cold temperatures (such as your refrigerator). The CDC linked the multistate listeria outbreak to a farm in Colorado and, after a yearlong investigation, declared it over in October 2011.

A salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe killed three people in Kentucky and sent dozens to the hospital in 2012, according to the CDC.

While additional listeria scares in melon have largely been avoided, other foods — including raw milk cheese, packaged salads, and frozen vegetables — have seen outbreaks.

Cross Contamination of Spinach and Other Leafy Greens

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One of the most consistently contaminated foods, leafy greens account for almost 30 percent of illnesses in foods that are regulated by the FDA. "The problem with leafy greens is that we eat them raw, so they really need to be washed before eating. But contamination can occur in the home as well as on the farm. Make sure you don't wash meats and greens in the same sink or cut them on the same counter. In fact, it’s recommended not to wash meat at all anymore as it can spread contaminants all over your sink and counter and can cause cross contamination. And watch out for meat dripping down into your refrigerator's vegetable bin," Blake warns. Always defrost meat on a plate to avoid raw meat and poultry juices from spreading all over the refrigerator.

Undercooked Eggs and Salmonella Outbreaks

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Next on the list of risky foods are eggs, which have been linked to hundreds of outbreaks of food-borne illness. Contamination in eggs is almost always because of the bacteria salmonella. You might be wondering how those bacteria get inside an egg. The most prevalent type of salmonella infects the ovaries of hens that lay the eggs. "The best way to protect yourself is to cook your eggs so they are not soft or runny," says Blake.

Dangerous Toxins in Tuna and Other Large Fish

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The big problem with tuna is not mercury but a naturally occurring toxin called scombrotoxin. This toxin can build up in the flesh of tuna (and other fish) if it is not kept cold enough after the fish has been caught, and unfortunately, you can't get rid of it by cooking. Symptoms include headache, nausea, and palpitations. Most people infected with scombrotoxin do not need treatment, and it is not deadly.

Salmonella has also been a concern in frozen tuna; it infected 65 people in 11 states in 2015, according to the CDC.

Norovirus in Raw and Undercooked Oysters

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"Oysters are another risky food because people want to eat them raw," notes Blake. Most oyster outbreaks are traced to restaurants. The microbes norovirus and vibrio cause most of the food-borne illnesses from oysters. The vibrio organism is the more dangerous. It's closely related to the bacteria that causes cholera, an acute intestinal infection. Oysters can be contaminated from the water they grow in or by improper handling. More than 300 cases of norovirus gastroenteritis caused by raw or undercooked oysters were reported in three Canadian provinces between December 2016 and March 2017. To prevent contamination, avoid raw or undercooked shellfish and keep cooking environments clean.

The Connection Between Salmonella and Potatoes

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You would think this American staple would be safe because almost no one eats raw potatoes. The food safety issue here usually involves potato salad, which provides the perfect environment for contamination when it sits out for too long: Bacteria need time, oxygen, and a temperature as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit to grow. Salmonella is again the main problem with this picnic and salad bar favorite, and each person reacts to exposure differently — most cases do not require medical treatment, but some patients can benefit from antibiotics. If severe cramps and diarrhea occur, seek medical attention immediately because salmonella can cause kidney failure and even death.

Soft Cheeses, Including Feta and Brie, During Pregnancy

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Pasteurization, the process that heats cheese to a temperature that will kill illness-causing bacteria, makes cheese safer, but many cheeses are not pasteurized. Pregnant women and children might want to avoid soft cheeses like feta, Brie, Camembert, and queso fresco, which aren't always made from pasteurized milk. The CDC says that pregnant women are 10 times more likely to develop a listeria infection. Hard cheeses such as cheddar and Asiago are typically pasteurized and safe for consumption by pregnant women. Still, the CDC reports that most illness caused by dairy is because of raw milk.

A Scoop of Ice Cream Might Contain Salmonella?

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This is cruel: Salmonella and staphylococcus bacteria can cause contaminated ice cream. Soft ice cream may contain listeria caused by improperly cleaned machines and could be hazardous for pregnant women. In 2015, listeria was found in ice cream from the brand Blue Bell, sickening 10 people in four states and killing three, according to the CDC. "Ice cream food contamination may be more common in homemade ice cream due to undercooked eggs," warns Blake. If you make homemade ice cream, use pasteurized eggs to eliminate this risk.

Garden Tomatoes, Norovirus, and Salmonella

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A few years ago tomatoes contaminated with salmonella was big news as almost 200 people became sick across the country. Salmonella can enter a tomato through the soil by way of the plant's root system. Tomatoes can also be contaminated by bacteria or norovirus through cracks in the skin during handling or preparation in a restaurant. Once the tomato has been infected, the only way to avoid food-borne illness is by cooking it.

E. Coli Infects Raw Clover, Bean, and Seed Sprouts

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Sprouts are increasingly popular in salad bars and the American diet. This germinating form of seeds and beans grows best in a warm and moist environment. Unfortunately, E. coli and salmonella thrive in the same environment. Contaminated raw clover sprouts were responsible for illness in 19 people in 2014, reports the CDC. The FDA has been urged to place warning labels on raw sprouts.

Cyclospora in Berries Can Cause Hepatitis A

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Cyclospora is a parasite that contaminates certain foods. Raspberries from South America have caused outbreaks. Hepatitis A, a virus that affects the liver, has also caused food safety problems in berries. Imported frozen strawberries that were added to smoothies caused a hepatitis A outbreak in nine states, sickening 143 people, according to the CDC. Berries, linked with 25 food contamination outbreaks since 1990, round out the list of the top 10 riskiest foods.

The Bottom Line on Food Contamination and Illness

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"Food safety is everybody's responsibility," Blake says, "including the FDA, growers, shippers, handlers, and consumers. The best way to protect yourself is with the four C’s: clean, cook, combat cross contamination, and chill. Don't shy away from fresh produce. It's an important part of your healthy diet. Just use the fifth C — common sense." This includes cooking and storing food safely, washing produce thoroughly before consumption, even if you're going to peel it, and using separate cutting boards and serving utensils for produce and meat.